


For You

by Featherstorm77



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M, Keith's a writer, M/M, Shiro's a model/actor, neither is the allurance but it's there so I thought I'd mention it, the others aren't central focus, this is basically a crack fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-29
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2019-01-26 06:45:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12551528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Featherstorm77/pseuds/Featherstorm77
Summary: Shiro's a famous actor and Keith writes self-insert fanfiction about him.It all goes to hell when Keith is scheduled to interview Shiro.In retrospect, he should've seen this coming.





	For You

**Author's Note:**

> this was just a funny idea that a few people on a server talked about until I decided to write it and it turned into a 4k monster with feeling. apparently I'm incapable of writing something silly and short just for the sake of it. anyway, kudos to them for enabling me and thinking up most of the funnier plot points.
> 
> I also used a style that I hope isn't too jarring. it just felt like it fit. and it's probably really out of character, but I had fun with it.
> 
> hope you enjoy!

Keith was writing, hands gliding over the keyboard as he roughly laid out his plot. _Click clack._ This was the best part - it didn't have to sound good, it just had to get his point across.

With soft ambient music playing in the background and a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, he was comfortable and outlining with ease.

And then- _ping!_ He glanced to the screen now lighting up the room.

It was 1am on a weekend.

Keith only got notifications when work sent him something.

With a regretful glance at his computer screen, he turned to look back at the email that had caused the offending noise.

It actually was work, not a glitch, and they were asking him to do an interview. Normal stuff. He scrolled past the details idly, deciding he'd check them out later, until his attention snagged on an all too familiar name.

Takashi Shirogane.

 _Okay,_ Keith reasoned, getting up so he could pace and think, _this is fine._ It's not like he knows who I am. I'm just another interviewer. No big deal. Nothing to get worried about.

He willed himself to calm down, physically removing himself from the room and grabbing a glass of water just to be sure.

Once his nerves settled, he nodded. 

_Yeah. Nothing to worry about._

\---

He was wrong. Present Keith was currently pacing - again - and also cursing out Past Keith for being so very, very wrong.

Shiro - he'd said he preferred to be called that but Keith already knew; he prided himself on doing his research and doing his job right - had been so fucking _blindingly_ bright when they'd shook hands.

Keith had just wandered into work, lack of sleep aiding him in following his usual habits - which included a beeline to the coffee - but Shiro was already there and had introduced himself right then and there.

Just ambushed Keith's morning. Unfair. Who does that? No one else he'd interviewed had taken such an initiative. Probably because they didn't care. Shiro seemed different, which was intriguing and- Keith refused to continue down that line of thought.

Okay, but maybe Past Keith _wasn't_ so wrong. It wasn't like this was going to change his life. He just had to act how he did any other day and then he'd be fine.

Except.

Someone else had done most of his prompts because this was last minute and they didn't want to have to go over his so they told him to stick to safe ones if he added any and-

There was this...one question. And he really hadn't thought of where it would lead, but he should've. The moment Shiro went to answer it, Keith realized all the possibilities.

“So, what's the weirdest thing your fans have done for you?”

“Hmm.” Shiro paused like he did every time before, seeming to really think about the question.

Keith leaned in, really hoping he wasn't about to say what he thought he'd say. He probably didn't know, right? Right?

“Well, there is this self-insert fanfiction about me,” he said slowly, a small smile appearing on his face.

Keith was going to melt. Was it possible to just combust right on the spot? Because if so, please, let him have it just this once.

Just when a crew member was about to ask if he was okay, Keith let out a small laugh that was almost a huff of breath. But Shiro joined in, and then they were laughing together and Keith _almost_ forgot why he was embarrassed and it was simultaneously one of the best and worst moments of his life.

Then someone called for a break and instead of them both wandering off to their separate spots like they had before, they wiped the tears forming in their eyes and Keith found himself looking Shiro dead-on.

He quickly flitted his gaze away, but Shiro didn't, drawing his attention back with a “Hey.”

Keith looked up and nodded.

“You wanna actually hang out sometime? Without all the cameras? You seem really fun and it's hard for me to meet people with all of...this.” He gestured at the room in general.

Keith snorted. “Yeah, I get what you mean. Between my hobbies and this, it's hard for me too.” It was a pretty robotic response, but he was impressed he was able to have casual conversation when it _wasn't_ being forced.

Shiro nodded. “What hobbies?”

“Oh,” Keith paused, confused for a second. Was the light so blinding two seconds ago or was it just Shiro? “I'm a writer, unsurprisingly. Looking to finish a novel and writing some other stuff on the side for practice.”

“That's really cool! What's the novel about…?”

And so it went on. Until Keith found himself sitting with Shiro and some friends at a local cafe. Apparently they actually had a couple of friends in common, like Allura and Lance, who had met a month ago and were clearly drooling over each other.

Shiro said that Allura had been his best friend since they were kids and she was also his manager, basically the only person he'd trust with the job.

Lance was the person Keith did stupid things with, but he didn't tell Shiro that, just that they'd been friends for a while and always got each other out of scrapes (which was true; if nothing else, Lance was loyal to the end, and also good at calling Keith on his bullshit).

There were also Pidge and Hunk. Keith knew Pidge from school and the way Shiro had met Hunk was never thoroughly explained? But Keith knew of him since he was one of Lance's best friends and had seen him on occasion.

They laughed about how they'd basically been orbiting each other already and how small the world was. It was nice, and Keith realized he actually needed this and this time he didn't want to sink into the floor in embarrassment.

As Shiro was telling the story of the time Allura and him had gotten arrested and Allura had taken the fall for him, insisting she was the mastermind the whole time even though it was just public drunkenness and they were both still detained, Keith felt a soft warmth take over him and he actually relaxed.

Yeah, this was nice.

Allura rolled her eyes and shifted from her flirting with Lance to stab an elbow into Shiro's side, effectively cutting him off mid-sentence.

“You're telling it all wrong, Shiro.” And then she launched into her own version of the story and Lance cut in to ask questions and it turned into one big conversation about the food they were eating once it arrived.

And Keith was at home.

\---

The next time he saw Shiro, none of their friends were around and they were both really busy...but. But they had to have their weekly meet-up, didn't they? Because they’d agreed to do that. So they ended up at Keith's place watching a movie they've both seen way too many times and drinking hot chocolate because Keith had refused to leave his house and Shiro insisted that they meet up.

And Keith’s eyes kept involuntarily flicking over to Shiro until he was full-on staring. But involuntarily. It was just...hard not to look. Shiro was so focused on the movie and it was endearing to Keith somehow - the soft light played off Shiro's features and his gaze was relaxed but showed he was clearly content and comfortable in Keith's presence, and that was just...almost too much.

With the quiet of just the two of them, it gave Keith's brain too much to think about and so instead of staring - or maybe as an excuse to - he spat out the first thing that came to mind.

“Shiro?”

“Mm?” His gaze didn't move from the screen.

“Can I ask some questions?”

Shiro side-eyed him now. “It depends on the questions, I guess.”

Keith backpedaled, lifting his palms in a peaceful manner. “Don't worry, I'm not gonna like...ask anything too personal, and if you don't want to answer, you don't have to. And it's not gonna go into an article or anything. I'm just curious.”

Shiro set down his mug and turned to face Keith, tucking one leg under the other before replying with a dry humour, “Twenty questions, then?” 

After he said it he quirked an eyebrow and Keith could tell he was trying to keep a smile off his face.

“Twenty questions,” Keith agreed.

An hour, two mugs of hot chocolate, and one dramatic movie scene later, Keith knew a few things about Shiro: his favourite colour was black, but since lots of people don't view that as a colour (see: Keith), he said purple instead, he had a tattoo _somewhere_ \- Keith was itching to know but they’d both agreed that fell into the realm of personal - he loves cats, he'd completely stumbled upon the acting/modeling business, he had no idea what to do with his money, he was single, lived in a small apartment with his cat (lovingly named “Kuro,” or black in Japanese - which Keith teased him for because really? Too simple), and he knew how to cook exactly one meal unassisted.

Keith shared similar things about himself, and Shiro learned about his education and some of his stupid decisions and his favourite ice cream flavour (Shiro's was chocolate mint and Keith's was cherry. They both disagreed with each other's choices and the game ended in a fit of jibes and laughter).

\---

He settled into that sort of a routine with Shiro so easily it was hard to see where he had once carved out a space for only himself in his life.

There was a weekly meet-up whenever they were free for coffee, of course, and they chatted about small things, argued about stupid space fantasy shows, and genuinely had a good time.

A few times Keith crashed at Shiro's place after trailing him home, his drink untouched because he was too invested in their conversation.

And so it went.

And Shiro brought over food Keith thought he'd like and Keith laughed when Shiro told him about Allura and Lance finally dating and being horrible at it but stupidly obsessed with each other.

And their friend groups merged without them even really realizing and Keith hadn't touched fanfiction in ages but he had made some serious headway on his novel after hashing out ideas with Shiro.

And it was his new normal, and he was comfortable.

\---

He was halfway through the first main plot arc - the characters were switching roles in their leader’s absence and somehow Keith's fantasy novel had turned more into a space sci fi and he blamed Shiro but didn't really blame him because it worked better this way.

And it had started because they'd both shared their love of space - Keith had originally studied astrophysics before getting a bullshit degree in business/english and somehow landing himself a decent job. Now he was falling back into his passion for the stars, with a little nudge from Shiro.

Shiro, who had been trying to become a pilot and simultaneously learn all he could about space, just in case, before he lost his arm and was unable to fly for a year and once they'd gotten him a prosthetic that would work it just didn't feel right and he hadn't gone back.

Keith had nudged Shiro a little too. 

“‘Follow your dreams.’ Isn't that what you keep saying to me? Take your own advice, Shiro.”

And that was accompanied by a shove.

But right now Keith was writing a tense scene and Shiro was humming in his kitchen and Lance and Pidge were arguing over math and all was right in the world.

Well, except that Keith was starving but he was too focused on Akira’s character; this was such a good plot point and he needed to emphasize it and if he left he'd ruin the atmosphere and-

He didn't hear Shiro until it was too late and he was being easily picked up and maneuvered to the table.

“Shiro, no!” He screeched, wriggling in the hold. He was being held like a toddler would pick up a cat, dangling with Shiro's hands firmly under his armpits. “Put me down! Not only is this undignified, especially for you, but I _wasn't finished!_ ”

“You are now,” was the simple reply as he was placed on a chair in front of a steaming plate.

Well, now that he was here...this looked good. Yeah, he could eat. Akira could wait.

Just when Shiro was settling down across from him did Keith look up from his meal long enough to realize three things: Shiro was looking at him with an open fondness, Lance and Pidge were clearly trying not to laugh, and...fuck. 

His leg was completely numb.

\---

And then when they meet up again it isn't their usual time. It's the middle of the night and Keith is pounding on Shiro's door and simultaneously sending him a barrage of texts in the hope that he'll wake up.

He does, and he's groggy and clearly bemoaning the lack of sleep, but Keith is a live wire who's even more shocked now because Shiro let him in without a thought and he's not wearing a shirt.

Keith almost short circuits, but then reminds himself he has more pressing issues at hand and the energy from earlier returns.

Shiro, ever the observant person, puts on a pot of coffee because he obviously realizes this is On A Mission Keith and he's not going to be getting back to sleep even if he wants to. Keith isn't sure if he should resent that or be grateful, so he ignores it instead.

Shiro rubs at the corner of an eye. “So, what's this about?”

Keith blinks. Right. “Okay, so, it's kind of a long story.”

Shiro listens to him talk as he pours and drinks his coffee, locates and puts on a shirt, and starts hunting for everything he'll need.

By the time he's ready, Keith has explained and then they're running into the early dawn light.

Keith learns something else about Shiro then: he's afraid of motorcycles, but won't admit it to the point that he went on Keith's but clung to him the entire time even though they didn't even go that fast, they were still in the city, _calm down, Shiro._

And then when they got to the shelter, both of them out of breath for different reasons - Keith, because he was running on nothing but adrenaline and determination, and Shiro because he was scared out of his mind - the parking lot was so desolate they both laughed.

“Keith, remind me again why the fuck you needed to come here right now,” Shiro said as they walked in the door, sounding a small jingle of a bell.

Keith paused for a moment. Did he even have a real reason? Was Shiro asking why he, specifically, needed to join Keith? Probably, but that wasn't the answer he was getting.

“Because Red’s approval for adoption expires at 7am. So we're here at 6.”

Shiro's expression softened. “I know. That cat only loves you, and you have to get her before no one can. Don't worry, I support your drastic decisions.” This, followed by a hand on his shoulder and what was probably a condescending look.

Keith almost felt like there was a compliment and an insult hidden in there, but he was too tired to puzzle it out, and instead just asked for the forms he needed and started filling them out, Shiro leaning over his shoulder in curiosity.

And then he was told to come back when they were actually open, with a _car_ and a cat carrier, and he started to thumb out a pleading message to Lance before glancing over at Shiro.

“Thanks for coming with me. You busy today?”

When Shiro said no, other than catching up on sleep someone rudely stole - which earned him a glare - Keith proposed they go try and compromise on ice cream flavours. Shiro agreed, and then they got kicked out of the shelter by the annoyed owner.

Shiro laughed first and then they were both sending up breaths of air in the chill of morning and an empty parking lot for the second time.

\---

Lance had insisted that they needed to go here. And he'd found a day that all their schedules aligned, which was a miracle in of itself. 

So there Keith was, breathing on his fingers to warm them (fingerless gloves might be dysfunctional, but he _liked_ them, okay, they're useful), waiting for his friends outside an arcade, of all places.

He used to frequent the place with Lance when they were kids, but hadn't set foot inside or skated in years. Today was certainly going to be...an experience. 

Apparently Allura had never tried, so Lance had his hands full there, Shiro had a couple times and insisted it was a fine choice, Pidge refused to divulge details but Keith secretly suspected she knew more than she was telling, and Hunk said he'd skated as a kid and was decent at it.

Keith's suspicions were confirmed about Pidge when she hopped out of Hunk’s car with a pair of blades over her shoulder and a wicked grin on her face. 

Keith pointed. “I knew it! I told you she would do this, didn't I?” 

“Prepare to eat my dust,” she whispered as she walked by.

Keith scowled. This wasn't a competition...and yet. Now he wanted to murder Pidge at her own game, but he knew she didn't put her mouth where her money wasn't.

Shiro laid a consoling hand on his shoulder when he appeared, spotting Keith's frustration quickly. “You can just pretend you're helping me and then we won't have to worry about beating Pidge. Everyone wins.”

He shot Keith that winning smile and all the fight poured out of him. Shiro had such an uncanny ability to make him melt.

And he was right - everyone had a good time, in the end. Allura picked it up really quickly (after switching to blades - she apparently forgot to mention she was a great ice skater), Hunk joined Keith and Shiro's pace of careful and steady as they chatted, Lance challenged Pidge and failed, but he laughed at himself and so did everyone else and it was a good moment.

And then they paused to eat and buy glow sticks and it went downhill from there.

Pidge’s stick broke and leaked all over her shirt, effectively making her glow green in the blacklights, and then everyone else broke theirs too, and then they got kicked out for getting glow paint on the floors and then they ended up going out for drinks because they were all on a giddy high and the night still felt young.

And they glowed there too.

And Shiro and Keith were purple and red and they were intertwined stars orbiting each other in a fuschia sky, getting closer and closer the faster they moved, the faster they breathed.

Keith remembered taking one too many shots with Lance and then they were dancing and then it was just him and Shiro and it turned into more so quickly.

Keith didn't know who started it, but he never knew with Shiro. And he didn't know because he was so wrapped up in Shiro's hands on his waist and mouth pressed to his and the heat he could feel between their bodies and the pounding bass in the background drowning out everything else - or was that the alcohol? He wasn't sure - and he didn't want to move.

And then they were suddenly with the group again, and Lance was taking a picture of them all, and Keith felt so full, like a supernova, which compelled Drunk Keith to hug everyone before dragging Shiro back to his place.

They ended up drinking water because that's the healthy and responsible thing to do and then they chatted for a little about something insubstantial until Keith started to feel like his feet weren't connected to his body anymore and loudly announced such before he swayed on his feet and fell into Shiro.

And then they slept.

\---

Keith startled when he saw it. He almost, almost dropped the mug he had his fingers wrapped around, but managed to keep from making any sort of movement that would alert Shiro. That said, he was practically humming with fury and immediately started tapping out what was likely a garbled message to Lance.

Not only was Keith hungover, but likely so was Lance, and he was probably less coherent than Keith, the one who'd been shocked into action.

Keith grumbled something and sent a text he hoped said something threatening. He had these thoughts about marching over to Lance's place as soon as possible to strangle him, but when he flit his gaze upwards, his eyes caught on Shiro, who was making himself some coffee - after insisting he do Keith's and that he at least sit down, because Keith had admitted to not quite remembering how much he’d drank and Shiro took that to mean “more than him.”

He kept gasping every time he moved, though, so Keith really didn't think that conclusion was sound. Not that he was complaining. Having someone dote on you, especially when you were both equally suffering? Great. He did feel sorry for Shiro, but he'd brought this upon himself.

And Keith's gaze softened when he looked at Shiro. Unintentionally, of course. He still couldn't forgive Lance and thoughts of revenge were racing through his mind, but at the same time he was content with this moment and happy to sit in it for a while. Get comfortable.

And then Shiro had apparently finished what he was doing and he wandered over to the other side of Keith's couch, lifting Keith's feet so he could sit. Keith put them on Shiro's lap and grinned a sharp grin. 

Shiro just blew on his coffee.

After a pause Keith’s muddled and in pain brain didn't comprehend as awkward, Shiro shifted to face him, expression earnest. He could tell because he looked a little like a kicked dog. That was a powerful look. If Shiro put on that face and asked Keith to do something, he wasn't sure he could refuse.

“So we need to talk about what happened last night.” Shiro ducked his head, fiddling with the handle on his mug before letting out a breath of air and seemingly coming to a decision.

“Because I really like you and I don't want this to just be a spur of the moment thing, but if it was, clarifying now is a good idea.”

And then he faced Keith. And Keith narrowed his eyes and thought about it. “Not a spur of a moment thing,” he said immediately, because it was true. And then he paused before he spoke again.

He lifted a finger so Shiro wouldn't reply before he gathered his thoughts and then mirrored him by turning his gaze on Shiro's. “And I didn't...I didn't want it to go down like that. But I guess drunk Keith had a different idea, and I'm not gonna go about regretting it. Are you?”

“Keith, no,” Shiro lurched forward, forgetting about Keith's legs and furrowing his brow at them when they got in his way. Keith hissed at being jostled. “No, I don't regret kissing you any more than I regret meeting you. Which is zero percent. In fact, I'm grateful. You gave my life a spark when it was dull.” Shiro grinned.

Keith grinned right back at him from the rim of his cup. 

And that was that.

At some point, Shiro went with his usual goodbye, a promise to call, and a chaste kiss he planted on Keith's cheek, leaving him standing dumbfounded and in awe in the middle of his kitchen.

He didn't dwell on it, but - he did call Pidge after his headache subsided.

She grumbled over the phone. He complained heatedly about Lance. She talked him down from murder to some harmless prank. He accepted his fate.

\---

Shiro didn't contact him.

Keith worked some things out.

And then he started to worry when it had been a week. Was Shiro pissed? Did he decide Keith wasn't worth it? He'd thought Shiro would at least be the type to let him down in person, so why was he so quiet now? Did he expect Keith to start the conversation?

The day after they'd normally meet up somewhere, Shiro texted him a simple, _talk at the usual place?_

Keith accepted. 

He knew, at this point, logically, Shiro would either not be bothered or decide to disown him. Maybe they'd stay friends. But that left two options, really.

With Red curled up on his lap (sue him, he was more creative than Shiro with names, but Red had just stuck, okay?) he narrowed it down to: either Shiro would still want to pursue whatever relationship they were dancing around before, or he wouldn't want to talk to Keith again. He really didn't expect the latter from Shiro, but then again, reading people's characters had never been his strong suit.

So he went in with the _only two options, only two options,_ mantra running in his head.

And yet.

Fuck. 

He thought he might faint, or puke, or both. Was it possible to be this terrified and nervous at the same time? He wasn't sure he was alive.

He was almost certain, at this point, it was some sort of side effect. Shiro and nervousness couldn't live in the same space.

And then while he was absolutely _sweating,_ he sat down across from Shiro and nodded nonchalantly.

Shiro dove right into an explanation. “I...don't want to apologize, because it won't feel genuine, but I really do wish I'd told you why I hadn't talked to you all week. I was just so surprised, and then I had to ask Allura about it, and...I should probably start explaining what I'm talking about.”

Shiro took a breath and seemed to steel himself, but before he could utter another word, Keith cut across it with an, “I know.”

Shiro looked startled he'd spoken, then surprised, then perplexed, then curious. “How?”

“Well, it's not hard to piece it together, but I know for sure because you told Allura, naturally, and she told Lance, who told Hunk, who told Pidge, who told me.”

Shiro sighed and pinched between his eyebrows. “Okay. Well...anyway. Now that we know you write self-insert fanfiction involving me, I guess we've moved past this part in the relationship.” He laughed, but it sounded more like he was choking.

Keith stared back at him. “Used to,” he corrected. “I used to write it. I haven't since we became friends. And not just because that would be weird, but because you motivated me to work on what I really love - that novel.”

Shiro's expression melted. The weight he'd been carrying since he walked in just slid off of him, and Keith was relieved because that meant he felt like he could breathe easier too.

“Okay. You've laid all your cards on the table. Here are mine: we're both busy people with demanding work hours, but I want to be with you. And this is something I'm willing to step over, just like those work hours. See where it goes.”

Shiro paused, and then added, “For you.”

Keith felt a smile curl onto his face.

He answered Shiro's unspoken question by clinking his glass against his and nodding.

“For you.”

**Author's Note:**

> talk with me about space metaphors on [tumblr](https://featherstorm77.tumblr.com/)


End file.
